Joseph Stalin
J. V. Stalin
Dizzy with Success
Concerning Questions of the Collective-Farm Movement
First Published: Pravda, No. 60, March 2, 1930
Source: J. V. Stalin, Works, Vol. 12, pp. 197-205, Foreign Languages Publishing House:
Moscow, 1955.
Transcribed/HTML: Kenneth Higham and Mike B.
The Soviet government’s successes in the sphere of the collective-farm movement are
now being spoken of by everyone. Even our enemies are forced to admit that the
successes are substantial. And they really are very great.
It is a fact that by February 20 of this year 50 per cent of the peasant farms throughout
the U.S.S.R. had been collectivised. That means that by February 20, 1930, we had
overfulfilled the five-year plan of collectivisation by more than 100 per cent.
It is a fact that on February 28 of this year the collective farms had already succeeded in
stocking upwards of 36,000,000 centners, i.e., about 220,000,000 poods, of seed for the
spring sowing, which is more than 90 per cent of the plan. It must be admitted that the
accumulation of 220,000,000 poods of seed by the collective farms alone — after the
successful fulfilment of the grain-procurement plan — is a tremendous achievement.
What does all this show?
That a radical turn of the countryside towards socialism may be considered as already
achieved.
There is no need to prove that these successes are of supreme importance for the fate of
our country, for the whole of the working class, which is the directing force of our
country, and, lastly for the Party itself. To say nothing of the direct practical results, these
successes are of immense value for the internal life of the Party itself, for the education of
our Party. They imbue our Party with a spirit of cheerfulness and confidence in its
strength. They arm the working class with confidence in the victory of our cause. They
bring forward additional millions of reserves for our Party.
Hence the party’s task is to consolidate the successes achieved and to utilise them
systematically for our further advancement.
But the successes have their seamy side, especially when they are attained with
comparative “ease” — “unexpectedly” so to speak. Such successes sometimes induce a
spirit of vanity and conceit: “We can achieve anything!”, “There is nothing we can’t do!”
People not infrequently become intoxicated by such successes; they become dizzy with
success, loose all sense of proportion and the capacity to understand realities; they show a
tendency to overrate their own strength and to underrate the strength of the enemy;
adventurist attempts are made to solve all questions of socialist construction “in a trice.”
In such a case, there is no room for concern to consolidate the successes achieved and to
utilise them systematically for further advancement. Why should we consolidate the
successes achieved when, as it is, we can dash to the full victory of socialism “in a trice”:
“We can achieve anything!”, “There is nothing we can’t do!”
Hence the Party’s task is to wage a determined struggle against these sentiments, which
are dangerous and harmful to our cause, and to drive them out of the Party.
It cannot be said that these dangerous and harmful sentiments are widespread in the
ranks of our Party. But they do exist in our Party, and there are no grounds for asserting
that they will not become stronger. And if they should be allowed free scope, there can be
no doubt that the collective-farm movement will be considerably weakened and the
danger of its breaking down may become a reality.
Hence the task of our press is: systematically to denounce these and similar anti-Leninist
sentiments.
A few facts.
1. The successes of our collective-farm policy are due, among other things, to the fact
that it rests on the voluntary character of the collective-farm movement and on taking into
account the diversity of conditions in the various regions of the U.S.S.R. Collective farms
must not be established by force. That would be foolish and reactionary. The collectivefarm movement must rest on the active support of the main mass of the peasantry.
Examples of the formation of collective farms in the developed areas must not be
mechanically transplanted to underdeveloped areas. That would be foolish and
reactionary. Such a “policy” would discredit the collectivisation idea at one stroke. In
determining the speed and methods of collective-farm development, careful consideration
must be given to the diversity of conditions in the various regions of the U.S.S.R.
Our grain-growing areas are ahead of all others in the collective-farm movement. Why is
this?
Firstly, because in these areas we have the largest number of already firmly-established
state farms and collective farms, thanks to which the peasants have had the opportunity to
convince themselves of the power and importance of the new technical equipment, of the
power and importance of the new, collective organisation of farming.
Secondly, because these areas have had two years’ schooling in the fight against the
kulaks during the grain-procurement campaigns, and this could not but facilitate the
development of the collective-farm movement.
Lastly, because these areas in recent years have been extensively supplied with the best
cadres from the industrial centres.
Can it be said that these especially favourable conditions also exist in other areas, the
consuming areas, for example, such as our northern regions, or in areas where there are
still backward nationalities, such as Turkestan, say?
No, it cannot be said.
Clearly, the principle of taking into account the diversity of conditions in the various
regions of the U.S.S.R. is, together with the voluntary principle, one of the most
important prerequisites for a sound collective-farm movement.
But what actually happens sometimes? Can it be said that the voluntary principle and the
principle of taking local peculiarities into account are not violated in a number of areas?
No, that cannot be said, unfortunately. We know, for example, that in a number of the
northern areas of the consuming zone, where the conditions for the immediate
organisation of collective farms are comparatively less favourable than in the graingrowing areas, attempts are not infrequently made to replace preparatory work for the
organisation of collective farms by bureaucratic decreeing of the collective-farm
movement, paper resolutions on the growth of collective farms, organisation of collective
farms on paper — collective farms which have as yet no reality, but whose “existence” is
proclaimed in a heap of boastful resolutions.
Or take certain areas in Turkestan, where conditions for the immediate organisation of
collective farms are even less favourable than in the northern regions of the consuming
zone. We know that in a number of areas of Turkestan there have already been attempts
to “overtake and outstrip” the advanced areas of the U.S.S.R. by threatening to use armed
force, by threatening that peasants who are not yet ready to join the collective farms will
be deprived of irrigation water and manufactured goods.
What can there be in common between this Sergeant Prishibeyev “policy” and the
Party’s policy of relying on the voluntary principle and of taking local peculiarities into
account in collective-farm development? Clearly, there is not and cannot be anything in
common between them.
Who benefits by these distortions, this bureaucratic decreeing of the collective-farm
movement, these unworthy threats against the peasants? Nobody, except our enemies!
What may these distortions lead to? To strengthening our enemies and to discrediting the
idea of the collective-farm movement.
Is it not clear that the authors of these distortions who imagine themselves to be
“Leftists,” are in reality bringing grist to the mill of Right opportunism?
2. One of the greatest merits of our Party’s political strategy is that it is able at any given
moment to pick out the main link in the movement, by grasping which the Party draws
the whole chain towards one common goal in order to achieve the solution of the
problem. Can it be said that the Party has already picked out the main link of the
collective-farm movement in the system of collective-farm development? Yes, this can
and should be said.
What is this chief link?
Is it perhaps, association for joint cultivation of the land? No, it is not that. Associations
for the joint cultivation of the land, in which the means of production are not yet
socialised, are already a past stage of the collective farm movement.
Is it, perhaps the agricultural commune? No, it is not that, Communes are still of isolated
occurrence in the collective-farm movement. The conditions are not yet ripe for
agricultural communes — in which not only production, but also distribution is socialised
— to be the predominant from
The main link of the collective-farm movement, its predominate form at the present
moment, the link which has to be grasped now, is the agricultural artel
In the agricultural artel, the basic means of production, primarily for grain-farming —
labour, use of the land, machines and other implements, draught animals and farm
buildings — are socialised. In the artel, the house-hold plots (small vegetable gardens,
small orchards) the dwelling houses, a part of the dairy cattle, small livestock, poultry,
etc., are not socialised.
The artel is the main link of the collective-farm movement because it is the form best
adapted for solving the grain problem. And the grain problem is the main link in the
whole system of agriculture because, if it is not solved, it will be impossible to solve
either the problem of stock-breeding (small and large), or the problem of the industrial
and special crops that provide the principal raw materials for industry. That is why the
agricultural artel is the main link in the system of the collective-farm movement at the
present moment.
That is the point of departure of the “Model Rules” for collective farms, the final text of
which is published today.1
And that should be the point of departure of our Party and Soviet workers, one of whose
duties is to make a thorough study of these Rules and carry them out down to the last
detail.
Such is the line of the Party at the present moment.
Can it be said that this line of the Party is being carried out without violation or
distortion? No, it cannot, unfortunately. We know that in a number of areas of the
U.S.S.R. , where the struggle for the existence of the collective farms is still far from
over, and where artels are not yet consolidated, attempts are being made to skip the artel
framework and to leap straight away into the agricultural commune. The artel is still not
consolidated, but they are already “socialising” dwelling houses, small livestock and
poultry; moreover, this “socialisation” is degenerating into bureaucratic decreeing on
paper, because the conditions which would make such socialisation necessary do not yet
exist. One might think that the grain problem has already been solved in the collective
farms, that it is already a past stage, that the principal task at the present moment is not
solution of the grain problem, but solution of the problem of livestock and poultrybreeding. Who, we may ask, benefits from this blockheaded “work” of lumping together
different forms of the collective-farm movement? Who benefits from this running too far
ahead, which is stupid and harmful to our cause? Irritating the collective-farm peasant by
“socialising” dwelling houses, all dairy cattle, all small livestock and poultry, when the
grain problem is still unsolved, when the artel form of collective farming is not yet
consolidated — is it not obvious that such a “policy” can be to the satisfaction and
advantage only of our sworn enemies?
One such overzealous “socialiser” even goes so far as to issue an order to an artel
containing the following instructions: “within three days, register all the poultry of every
household,” establish posts of special “commanders” for registration and supervision;
“occupy the key positions in the artel”, “command the socialist battle without quitting
your posts” and — of course — get a tight grip on the whole life of the artel.
What is this — a policy of directing the collective farms, or a policy of disrupting and
discrediting them?
I say nothing of those “revolutionaries” — save the mark! — who begin the work of
organising artels by removing the bells from the churches. Just imaging removing the
church bells — how r-r-revolutionary!
How could there have arisen in our midst such blockheaded exercises in “socialisation,”
such ludicrous attempts to overleap oneself, attempts which aim at bypassing classes and
the class struggle, and which in fact bring grist to the mill of our class enemies?
They could have arisen only in the atmosphere of our “easy” and “unexpected” successes
on the front of collective-farm development.
They could have arisen only as a result of the blockheaded belief of a section of our
Party: “We can achieve anything!”, “There’s nothing we can’ do!”
They could have arisen only because some of our comrades have become dizzy with
success and for the moment have lost clearness of mind an sobriety of vision.
To correct the line of our work in the sphere of collective-farm development, we must
put an end to these sentiments.
That is now one of the immediate tasks of the Party.
The art of leadership is a serious matter. One must not lag behind the movement, because
to do so is to loose contact with the masses. But neither must one run too far ahead,
because to run too far ahead is to loose the masses and to isolate oneself. He who wants
to lead a movement and at the same time keep in touch with the vast masses must wage a
fight on two fronts — against those who lag behind and against those who run too far
ahead.
Our Party is strong and invincible because, when leading a movement, it is able to
preserve and multiply its contacts with the vast masses of the workers and peasants.
J. Stalin
1. Pravda, March 2, 1930.
Stalin Works Archive
SPEECH DELIVERED BY JOSEPH STALIN
CHAIRMAN OF THE STATE COMMITTEE OF DEFENCE
AND PEOPLE'S COMMISSAR OF DEFENCE
AT THE RED ARMY PARADE ON THE RED SQUARE, MOSCOW,
NOVEMBER 7, 1941
Comrades, men of the Red Army and Red Navy, commanders and political instructors,
working men and working women, collective farmers - men and women, workers in the
intellectual professions, brothers and sisters in the rear of our enemy who have
temporarily fallen under the yoke of the German brigands, and our valiant men and
women guerillas who are destroying the rear of the German invaders!
I greet you on behalf of the Soviet government and our Bolshevik Party and congratulate
you on the occasion of the twenty-fourth anniversary of the Great October Socialist
Revolution.
Comrades, it is in strenous circumstances that we are today celebrating the twenty-fourth
anniversary of the October Revolution. The perfidious attack of the German brigands and
the war which has been forced upon us have placed our country in jeopardy. We have
temporarily lost a number of regions, the enemy has appeared at the gates of Leningrad
and Moscow. The enemy reckoned that after the very first blow our army would be
dispersed, and our country would be forced to its knees. But the enemy sadly
miscalculated. In spite of the temporary reverses our army and navy are heroically
repulsing the enemy's attacks along the whole front and inflicting heavy losses upon him,
while our country - our entire country - has formed itself into one fighting camp in order,
together with our Army and our Navy, to encompass the defeat of the German invaders.
There were times when our country was in even more difficult straits than today. Recall
the year 1918, when we celebrated the first anniversary of the October Revolution.
Three-quarters of our country was at that time in the hands of foreign invaders. The
Ukraine, the Caucasus, Central Asia, the Urals, Siberia and the Far East were temporarily
lost to us. We had no allies, we had no Red Army - we had only just begun to form it;
there was a shortage of food, of armaments, of clothing for the army. Fouteen states were
pressing on our country. But we did not despond, we did not lose heart. In the fire of war
we forged the Red Army and converted our country into a military camp. The spirit of the
great Lenin animated us in the war against the invaders. And what happened? We routed
the invaders, recovered all our lost territory, and achieved victory.
Today the position of our country is far better than it was twenty-three years ago. Our
country is now much richer than it was twenty-three years ago as regards industry, food
and raw materials. We now have allies who together with us are maintaining a united
front against against the German robbers. Weenjoy the sympathy and support of all the
nations of Europe who have fallen under Hitler's tyranny. We now have a splendid army
and a plendid navy, who are staunchly defending the liberty and independence of our
country. We experience no serious shortage of food, or of armaments or of army clothing.
Our entire country, all the peoples of our country, support our Army and our Navy,
helping them to smash the invading hordes of German fascists. Our reserves of manpower are inexhaustibe. The spirit of the great Lenin and his victorious banner now
animate us in this patriotic war just as they did twenty-three years ago.
Can there be any doubt that we can and are bound to defeat the German invaders?
The enemy is not so strong as some frightened little intellectuals imagine. The devil is not
so terrible as he is painted. Who can deny that our Red Army has time and again put the
vaunted German troops to panic flight? If we judge, not by the boastful utterances of the
German propagandists, but by the actual position of Germany, it will be easy to
understand that the German fascist invaders are now on the brink of disaster. Hunger and
poverty reign in Germany today; in the four months of war Germany has lost four and a
half million men; Germany is losing blood, her reserves of man-power are giving out, the
spirit of indignation is spreading not only among the peoples of Europe who have fallen
under the yoke of the German robbers, but also among the German people themselves
who can see no end to the war. The German robbers are straining their last efforts. There
can be no doubt that Germany will be unable to stand the strain for long. Another few
months, another half-year, perhaps another brief year, and Hitler Germany is bound to
burst beneath the weight of its crimes.
Comrades, men of the Red Army and Red Navy, commanders and political instructirs,
men and women guerillas, the whole world is looking towards you as a force capable of
destroying the plundering hordes of German robbers. The enslaved peoples of Europe
who have fallen beneath the yoke of the German robbers look towards you as their
liberators. A great liberating mission has fallen to your lot. Be worthy of that mission!
The war you are waging is a war of liberation, a just war. Let the heroic images of our
great forefathers - Aleksandr Nevsky, Dimitry Donskoy, Kuzma Minin, Dimitry
Pozharsky, Aleksandr Suvarov and Mikhail Kutuzov - inspire you in this war! May the
victorious banner of the great Lenin be your lodestar!
Fight until the German invaders are utterly smashed!
Death to the German invaders!
Long live our glorious country, her liberty and her independence!
Forward to glory under the banner of Lenin!